Taproot - 'Mine' (Atlantic)
3/5
By: Thomas Hannan
First off, an almighty sigh of relief. Taproot have done it: survived nu-metal as one of that strange hardcore of acts anyone still has a degree of respect for. The difference, and one that makes them quite such an exciting prospect, is they're not mostly relying on back catalogue material for any of that admiration.
Unlike the otherwise near-faultless likes of the Deftones, System of a Down et al, Taproot are fresh-faced newcomers, and ones in possession of some ferocious energy. 'Mine' kick-starts their 'Welcome' LP, only their second album to date, and a pretty fine tune it is too.
And praise be, someone's finally had the nouse to mess things around a little bit. There's still some interchanging between some gutsy primal screams and Incubus-style gorgeously harmonised choruses, but sneaking around underneath it all is some swirling ambient noise and worryingly heavy guitar outbursts over a beat that's, at times, strangely reminiscent of warped trip-hop.
OK, so admittedly it's not that different, but in times like these anyone who can bring even a little helping of flair and excitement to such a scene has to be something we should cherish. 'Mine' doesn't show a side to Taproot that's fully developed yet, but hints some pretty special moments to follow. Here's hoping they live up to their own promise.
Artists in this article: Taproot
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